Annual Report

2017 has been a somewhat action-packed year for The Composers Association of New Zealand. In addition to its periodic activities for composer advocacy and professional development, CANZ is now overseeing an ambitious project: to host a joint International Society for Contemporary Music and Asian Composers League Festival in 2020. CANZ continues to support, represent and provide educational opportunities for our composers, as intended at its inception in 1974. The CANZ committee is currently comprised of nine voluntary members who meet twice a year, in addition to the Annual General Meeting, which is held one of the main cities. Committee members, together with other active members of the Association, maintain an online presence, produce publications (which, this year, was limited to the bi-monthly newsletter Canzonetta), hold an annual workshop for young and emerging composers, advocate for New Zealand music and composers where appropriate, and provide other occasional opportunities.The 2017 CANZ Conference – "Composing on Shifting Ground" – was hosted by the University of Canterbury School of Music in April. 21 presentations were heard, including keynote addresses from Alison Isadora and new music polymath Mark Menzies, who performed alongside percussionist Justin deHart in the final concert.The 2017 Nelson Composers Workshop was convened by Simon Eastwood and Tristan Carter and continued the current practice of inviting the best possible performers to work with participant composers, alongside thought-provoking seminars and discussions. There were also some innovative performers involved in the 2017 workshop: taonga pūoro performer James Webster, improvisation virtuoso Jeff Henderson, and a quartet of traditional Chinese instruments – made possible through an exchange with the Composers Society of Singapore. The Nelson workshop continues to be a unique opportunity for emerging and student composers in New Zealand and, with these new initiatives, also proves to be dynamic in its capacity to pique the curiosity of all those involved.CANZ presented its annual awards at two high-profile public concerts. Conductor, clarinetist and composer Peter Scholes received the KBB Citation for Services to New Zealand Music at the conclusion of a concert with his beloved Auckland Chamber Orchestra. San Diego-based composer Celeste Oram received the CANZ Trust Fund Award after the NZSO-National Youth Orchestra performance of her work "The Young People’s Guide to the Orchestra" in Auckland.The Asian Composers League did not hold a full festival in 2017, but were hosted in Tokyo for a mini-festival in November. CANZ President Chris Gendall was present at that event to hear his flute solo "Inward Goes" performed by Reiko Manabe. The ACL Executive Committee also met. Among the topics discussed were the inclusion of the ACL in the 2020 Festival in Christchurch – which was met favourably – and the complete programme of the Taiwan Festival in October 2018.

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